Eimeria Species in Poultry Droppings: A Cross-Sectional Study in Ihiala, Nigeria

Abstract

Coccidiosis, a major disease affecting poultry production, and this is caused by Eimeria species, and there is a research gap in understanding the distribution of these species in Ihiala. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and distribution of Eimeria species in poultry droppings. A total of 400 poultry droppings samples were collected from five locations and examined using standard parasitological techniques. The overall prevalence of Eimeria species was 37.50%, with location B having the highest occurrence (53.75%) and location C having the lowest (20.00%). Six Eimeria species were identified, with E. acervulina being the most prevalent (28.67%) and widely distributed, while E. mitis was the least prevalent (6.00%) and distributed. The chi-square test revealed a statistically significant association between the distribution of Eimeria species and location (χ2 = 21.45, df = 12, p = 0.041). The study concludes that Eimeria species are prevalent in poultry droppings in Ihiala, Nigeria, and location-specific factors influence their distribution.